UW grabs commitment from three-star DT Sama Paama

Chris Petersen and Washington saw their recruiting class grow to six players Sunday. But the team's latest commitment could also be the sign of UW heading west to add more players. Ross D. FranklinAP

Chris Petersen and Washington saw their recruiting class grow to six players Sunday. But the team's latest commitment could also be the sign of UW heading west to add more players. Ross D. FranklinAP

SEATTLE

Sama Paama could be more than a composite three-star prospect who committed Sunday to the Washington Huskies. It's possible he might represent another stage in UW's ever-expanding recruiting footprint.

Paama, who visited campus late last week, becomes the sixth player to join the Huskies' 2019 class. The 6-foot-5 and 325-pound Paama plays defensive and offensive line at Honolulu Kaimuki (HI) but was recruited to Montlake to play defensive tackle. Paama, while rated a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, is a composite three-star prospect.

He's the second commit the Huskies have grabbed during the team's spring camp. The first was three-star defensive back Kamren Fabiculanan, who pledged after UW's first spring practice. 247 considers UW's class to be the No. 1 class in the Pac-12 Conference and the No. 13 group nationally.

UW's first two commitments for the 2019 class were four-star quarterback and Graham-Kapowsin star Dylan Morris plus four-star offensive tackle Nathaniel Kalepo, who played last season at Rainier Beach. Three-star running back Cameron Davis from Upland (Calif.) was the third member who pledged to the class in late January.

Premium content for only $0.99

Three-star prospect and junior college offensive lineman Corey Luciano committed in mid-March, a few weeks before the Huskies broke for spring camp. Luciano was then followed Fabiculanan and now Paama.

Adding Paama also gives the Huskies another player from the state of Hawai'i which could potentially become another area of expansion.

Chris Petersen and his staff showed with the team's 2018 recruiting class the Huskies are committed to expanding, and then, building upon a geographic footprint. UW signed Top 10 prospects from the states of Arizona, California, Hawai'i, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah plus Washington.

The Huskies signed three-star outside linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui and he was the composite No. 3 prospect in the state of Hawaii last recruiting cycle.

Paama is considered by 247 to be the No. 6 prospect in the state of Hawai'i where only two of the Top 10 prospects have committed to a program.

UW defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe, who is from Waimanalo on the island of O'ahu, is aggressively recruiting his home state in the hopes of UW's building a solid pipeline to Hawai'i.

Malloe and the Huskies, per 247, have already extended offers to several of Hawai'i's best players. The group includes composite four-star defensive tackle Faatui Tuitele, four-star linebacker Maninoa Tufono, four-star offensive tackle Enokk Vimahi and four-star offensive tackle Julius Buelow.

Paama's commitment also addresses the need to build UW's defensive line depth which will be a concern following the 2018 season.

The Huskies have 12 defensive lineman on their 2018 roster but will lose at least three of them -- Shane Bowman, Greg Gaines and Jaylen Johnson -- to graduation.